once the weaver od India found chemical dyes they gave up the vegetable dyes which would bleed.

thus the end of bleeding madras.

it is very hard to come by madras fabric in the states. Madras is an inexpensive fabric. Gitman may be importing some madras, but they would be the only ones i can think of that would make a madras shirt in the states. i used to find all sorts of interesting fabrics when shirtmakers would dump left over inventory. sadly it is hard to find madras even in the better fabric stores.
Carl

... Here is an EXCELLENT Lands End article about Madras fabric: http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/help/0...37091_,00.html Lands End also had a few shirts last year that were excellent. Sadly, I don't see them anymore on the website. I bought two shirts and I am very glad I did....[/IMG]

The Sears Appliance Outlets carry some Lands' End overstock, at least the one in Milpitas, CA, does. I was there the other day and saw probably a couple of dozen LE madras s/s BD shirts of various styles from about a year ago. Made in India. I think they were about $8. I already own a couple and perhaps oddly have worn them this winter for a pop of color under v-neck sweaters. I see that Lands' End has new styles available for this year.

Perhaps slightly off topic, but I recently agonized over a BBBF madras suit I had in my cart during the last Gilt final sale. Only $175! Incredible price. But I just couldn't bring myself to make the purchase--have never really considered wearing a madras suit. Seemed like way too much look for me. (Although I might've enjoyed wearing it at a London wedding I have to attend in July.)

^I picked up the coat. The full suit's too costumey, and, unlike Vox, I don't like madras trou.

I have the same style of Lands' End shirt as seen in Sri's AA pic. It's a great shirt. I paid full price for mine, believe it or not. I wear it untucked with comfortable khakis and natural white Converse hightops. It ain't elegant, but I don't think it's agonizingly geekish, either.

I'll have to check out the new LE offerings -- a couple look really nice. The good colors sold out in my size pretty quickly last year

^^^I considered the madras jacket but since I didn't wear the one I picked up last spring, I decided to pass on it. I agree with Doc that the full suit would be a bit too costumey, at least for my taste.